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About Sean Duffy

The founder of The Duffy Agency, I'm focused on helping CEO’s build strong brands across borders. I have over 25 years’ experience working with advertising and brand strategy in Boston, San Francisco, Stockholm and Copenhagen.

I began my career in Boston as a copywriter with BBDO and later as Creative Director for Knight Advertising in San Francisco. In 1991 I moved to Stockholm to work as Creative Director at Sweden’s largest ad agency, Lowe Brindfors. After 10 years with Lowe, I started The Duffy Agency in 2001.

For the past two decades I’ve worked exclusively with companies that wish to position and build brand equity beyond their home market. Having done this work on every continent north of the Antarctic, I offer one piece of advice to anyone taking their brand abroad: Strategise before you advertise.


The risk of marketing failure rises significantly when you venture beyond your home turf. But you can mitigate that risk with a little advance work. Brands that succeed internationally tend to be those that are able to maintain a relevant and differentiated brand identity on the global level yet, at the same time, have managed to adapt their positioning strategy and tactics to compete locally. That, in a nutshell, is what The Duffy Agency does. 

In addition to running my brand consulting agency, I frequently speak about strategic marketing and international brand development. I teach a Master’s course at The Lund University School of Economics that bridges traditional international marketing theory with online strategies. I also serve as the European governor of TAAN Worldwide (www.TAAN.org). Established in 1936, TAAN is a global network of over 60 independent marketing agencies with annual billings of 1.5 billion USD. Based in Malmö Sweden, I split my time between Europe and the States.